(By ZIAUDDIN SARDAR) WHEN Malcolm X visited Mecca in 1964, he was enchanted. He found the city “as ancient as time itself,” and wrote that the partly constructed extension to the Sacred Mosque “will surpass the architectural beauty of India’s Taj Mahal.”

Saudi Arabia’s benevolence seems to have offended more than it has appeased the average Pakistani. Can $1.5 million really make it to the world records as the most expensive gift? Perhaps that is another world record the Punjabi Chief Minister must contemplate over submitting. Are we sugarcoating aid now? Perhaps yes we are. But Pakistan . . . → Read More: Spreading thy tentacles

ISLAMABAD – The head of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Monday strongly defended before a Senate panel for lifting ban on YouTube before the parliamentary committee decided to move a resolution in the House as well as recommend the government for unblocking the popular content sharing site.

Originally called Ray, this city is Iran’s 32nd national capital and has been that way for 220 years. Home to the sixth tallest tower in the world, the Milad tower, it is among the largest cities in Western Asia. The average price for a . . . → Read More: Karachi cheapest city in 2013

WASHINGTON, Sept 24 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Saudi Arabia tops the list of countries for laws that limit women’s economic potential, while South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa have made the least progress over the last 50 years in improving women’s economic opportunities, a report issued on Tuesday . . . → Read More: Women in Saudi Arabia still suppressed

Overseas students, also known as international students, contribute immensely to many western economies, which have an open access policy to their higher education. It is estimated that overseas students bring about £5 billion annually to the UK in terms of tuition fees and living expenses.

Saudi Arabia – Women in Saudi Arabia will not need a male guardian’s approval to run or vote in municipal elections in 2015, when women will also run for office for the first time, a Saudi official said on Wednesday.